


Paradise (far too gone)

by feralratdad



Category: Dangan Ronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc
Genre: M/M, Memory Wipe, Minor canon divergence, Trigger Happy Havoc Spoilers, and then during the killing game, basically it's their school life before the killing game, class 78 friendship shenanigans, everyone's slightly out of character in the first part because they're all happy and having fun, makoto is just vibing, mondo and taka are feral gays, monokuma needs to be bitch slapped across the face
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-27
Updated: 2019-12-27
Packaged: 2021-02-26 07:15:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,311
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21989386
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/feralratdad/pseuds/feralratdad
Summary: Taka was looking at him, eyebrows drawn together and furrowed. It was his 'lost in thought' expression that Mondo was so used to. He knew every expression Taka made by now."What's on your mind, loud mouth?" he questioned."I think," Taka said curiously, "I want to kiss you."or: Mondo and Taka fall in love, then they fall in love again.
Relationships: Ishimaru Kiyotaka/Oowada Mondo, super minor background relationships
Comments: 38
Kudos: 280





	Paradise (far too gone)

**Author's Note:**

> hello I wrote most of this between the hours of 1am-4am because those are the prime feral crackhead hours so enjoy
> 
> also minor note: I've only played the first game and half of the second game so like. all of this could be totally not even close to canon at all for all I know but just pretend it's legit and refrain from spoilers :)

"My name is Ishimaru Kiyotaka, but you can call me Taka! And I am the ultimate moral compass!"

Mondo wanted to laugh. His first day at this stupid school, and already it was complete shit. Before bedtime, the headmaster had set up a "get to know you" game in the cafeteria, complete with snacks and tea. "Sit down and introduce yourselves!" The headmaster had exclaimed. "Meet some new friends!"

Mondo had somehow managed to end up at the table with the stupidest lot of people he could imagine. The ultimate moral compass was just one of the four at his table. The rest were so boring he'd already forgotten who they were supposed to be, but Taka's sharp, piercing voice rang in Mondo's ears long after he'd spoken. That was a voice he wouldn't shake anytime soon. Bored to death, the biker snatched a chip from one of bowls laid out on the table and popped it into his mouth.

"And what's your name?" Taka asked, and it took Mondo a moment to realize he was addressing him.

"Oh," he said blankly.

"D-don't talk with your mouth full!" Taka practically shouted. Mondo winced; there was that grating voice of his nightmares. "Finish chewing! Swallow!"

Mondo obeyed, if only to humor him. Once he'd swallowed, he started, "Yeah, I'm Mondo, and I'm the ultimate biker. You might've heard of me."

"Yeah, he's from that one gang," one of the others at the table whispered. "The crazy diamonds."

"Hey, share with the rest of the class!" Taka ordered sharply. The other student blinked a few times, registering the command but evidently not wanting to take it.

"Anyway, I don't have time for this shit," Mondo popped another chip into his mouth, ignoring the whispers. They followed him wherever he went; it was just part of being the fearsome biker gang leader that he was. Not to toot his own horn or anything, but he was quite deserving of the attention. "So go bother someone else for this game, loud mouth."

Taka stammered out an unintelligible reply. "I- well- language!"

"'Scuse me?"

"Yes! I will not tolerate swearing at this table!" The moral compass slammed his fist down on the table in a sudden burst of passion. "So no more of that!"

Mondo couldn't help but snort. "Whatever you say, loud mouth." Snatching up one last handful of chips, he stood, cracking his neck. "I'm heading to bed. Have fun with your- whatever this even is."

With that, he hurried from the cafeteria.

——

Of _course_ loud mouth was in his class.

"Class 78! Welcome to your first day!" their math teacher exclaimed. "And to your first class! I trust you're all excited to begin your adventure here at Hope's Peak?"

Yeah, this was some adventure. Mondo was already bored as hell. The walls of the classroom were suffocating, and he longed to be outside, racing across the city on his bike. Instead he was stuck at a terrible, boring desk behind loud mouth of all people.

At least that could prove to be entertaining. As Miss Math continued her lecture, Mondo folded a piece of paper into a ball and flicked it at the back of loud mouth's neck. The moral compass flinched and reached his hand to touch his neck, but then dropped it away as the movement didn't provide any answers. Grinning to himself, Mondo hurriedly rolled another ball and flicked that one too.

Bullseye. Loud mouth slapped the back of his neck as if trying to kill a mosquito, and the sharp clap that sounded from that noise drew everyone's attention to him.

"Mr. Kiyotaka," Miss Math said in an unamused drawl. "Is something wrong?"

"N-no, I'm so sorry," Taka replied quickly, though his tone leaked of confusion. "I just thought- nevermind."

"Well, I'll resume, then," their teacher sighed and turned back to writing equations on the board.

As Mondo began rolling his next ball, a piece of paper landed on his desk. Frowning, he unfolded it to reveal a scrawl of words written across:

_What're you tormenting Taka for?_

He glanced around to try to pinpoint the source of the note and found a redhead beside him looking at him pointedly. Mondo's brows raised, then he scribbled a short reply on the note ( _because I'm bored_ ) and tossed it to his desk.

The redhead jotted something down, then the note fell back onto Mondo's desk. Now it had the added addition of _that makes two of us, man. well, don't let me stop ya._

Shooting a quick grin at the redhead (finally, someone that might be fun), Mondo turned the note they'd been tossing back and forth into a ball and took aim before flicking it at Taka's neck once more.

This time, the reaction was incredibly entertaining. The compass shot out of his seat, standing rigidly on his feet. "That's enough!" he shouted. "I cannot accept this!"

"What?" Miss Math asked in shock.

"Mosquitos! There are too many mosquitos in this classroom, and that is unacceptable for a school environment!" Taka exclaimed furiously. "However am I supposed to concentrate like this?"

"Uh," the person on Mondo's other side began. "That's not mosquitos..."

All eyes turned on the one who had spoken up. She was ordinary looking, with brown hair tied into a neat ponytail. She had a knee brace on one of her legs, which was the only close to remarkable thing about her. "Well," she said, "I just mean that your problem isn't bugs... it's him." With that, she jabbed a thumb in Mondo's direction.

"I'm sorry?" Taka asked. His eyes fell on Mondo and they immediately lit up with recognition.

"It was me," redhead suddenly said. "I got bored so I was practicing my aim. It's still as good as ever! Good to know the ultimate baseball player hasn't lost his game." He finished this sentence with a cocky grin, folding his arms and leaning back in his seat.

Taka's eyes narrowed, and Mondo knew he definitely didn't buy it. But knee brace didn't speak up any further, so the matter ended with Miss Math saying, "alright, no more of that then, Mr. Kuwata," and resuming the lecture.

When class let out, Mondo stood and turned to face redhead. "Watcha doing that for? It's not like I would've gotten in trouble."

"Well, I'm bored too," the other boy replied with a shrug. "Also, now you're free to resume your assault on the poor moral compass."

Mondo gave a short snort, then said, "Mondo. I'm the ultimate biker gang leader."

"Leon," redhead returned with a grin. "Ultimate baseball player."

"More like ultimate liars," a familiar, grating voice snapped, and with a sigh, Mondo turned to face its owner.

"Hey, loud mouth," he said in the boredest tone he could think of.

Taka stood facing them, his arms folded and his eyebrows narrowed. "If you insist on disrupting this classroom and my education, I will have no choice but to resort to extreme measures!"

"Oh?" Mondo held up his hands. "And what might those be?"

"I-" Taka started, then frowned. "I- I'll think of something!"

Leon let out a small laugh, then quickly stifled it. "Welp, I'm heading to my next class, later." With that, the ultimate baseball player vanished through the door, leaving Mondo to his fate.

Taka drew in a long breath, then released it. "Look, it's our first day, so let's just start over. I'm Taka."

"And I'm out of here," Mondo replied. He didn't waste anymore time standing around, he picked up his backpack and headed out the door, leaving Taka to stare after him in flabbergasted shock.

——

"I can't stand him," Taka gritted out.

His eyes were latched onto what they normally were: Oowada Mondo, sitting at a cafeteria table a bit away with his friends, Leon and Chihiro. They were eating and talking, all seemingly normal and having a good time. Taka hated it.

"We know," Makoto groaned. "You can't shut up about how much you hate him. It's been two weeks."

"Two weeks of torment!" Taka protested.

"Torment? You mean him flicking _paper_ at your neck?" Sayaka didn't sound too impressed.

"It's not just that! It's everything! It's like his soul purpose on this earth is to disturb me!" Taka's hands clenched around his utensils. "It's kicking my chair and talking during class and calling me loud mouth! He's a bane to my very existence!"

"Calm down, hall monitor," Sayaka laughed. It was a bright and cheerful sound, not holding even a bit of anger on his behalf. Rude. These people were supposed to be his friends!

"That's just the way he is," Makoto agreed. "He's in a biker gang, after all. It's not like he's going to be a model student."

"Still," Taka groaned. "I think he's out to get me specifically!"

Across the room, Mondo laughed at something Leon had said. Taka's glare intensified, and he wondered if he could shoot lasers from his eyes if he glared hard enough. Probably not, but it didn't hurt to try.

"Hey guys!" Hina said brightly, slamming her tray down on the table and taking a seat with them. "Is Taka talking about Mondo again?"

"Again?" Sakura asked, sitting beside her. "I shouldn't be surprised."

"W-what's that supposed to mean?" Taka stammered out unintelligibly.

"You need to forget about him," Makoto said, voice full of the kindness and hope that always came with Makoto Naegi. It was part of the reason Taka had been drawn to him, the ultimate lucky student. "Don't let him impact your life like that! You're so much more than anything he does, Taka!"

"Thank you, Makoto," Taka said sincerely. "You're absolutely right! I should just move on with my life-" Before he could finish the thought, Mondo met his eyes. Shooting him a grin, he flashed him an obscene gesture with his hand, and Taka's eyes went wide. "T-that- I can't! I must confront him immediately!"

"Oh, no," Sayaka said, while Makoto's ever hopeful expression took on a wince. "Just when I thought we were making progress, too."

"There, there," Hina comforted, patting his arm. "Have a donut! That'll make you forget about this whoooole mess!"

Taka forced his gaze away from the other table and back onto his friends. "I'm sorry," he said mournfully. "I need to do better!"

"Don't be so hard on yourself!" Hina said cheerfully. "If he's bothering ya that much, just ask him to stop!"

"A-ask him?"

"Can't be too hard!"

"For now, focus on lunch," Sakura interrupted in her gruff tone. "I'd like one meal without the name 'Mondo' being mentioned."

——

"Mondo!" the all too familiar sharp voice called down the hall.

Mondo stopped in his tracks. "Just go on ahead," he told Leon and Chihiro. "I'll meet you at the class." As they headed on, Chihiro casting a concerned glance behind her, Mondo turned around to face his constant annoyance.

"Hey, loud mouth," he said. "What can I do for ya?"

"I'm here to formally request that you cease your bothersome behavior!" Taka exclaimed, coming to a stop a short distance away from him.

Mondo raised his brows.

"Please stop tormenting me," Taka amended.

"Ah!" Mondo resisted a laugh. "Torment? It's just a few practical jokes, loud mouth. You don't have to get so worked up."

It wasn't that he was intentionally targeting the moral compass. It was just that he was so _easy_ to annoy, and Mondo was so _bored_ , and it happened to work together. He wouldn't call it torment, that was too strong a word, it was just little things. A lot of little things.

Hmm, maybe he was being annoying.

"I- I cant focus on anything with you always doing what you do!" Taka continued, his firm voice almost shaky. "So I'm asking you to stop! Please."

"Gee, sorry bro," Mondo said, rubbing the back of his neck. He didn't feel bad, that was ridiculous, but he was man enough to admit when he'd pushed something too far. "I'll stop bothering ya if it's that annoying."

"Really?" Taka asked, like he hadn't expected him to comply. Wow.

"Now you're just hurting my feelings!"

"S-sorry! Wait, why am I the one apologizing now?"

Mondo belted a laugh. At the sound, Taka's face went red, and he opened his mouth. Before he could say anything, Mondo said, "Come on, lemme walk you to class, loud mouth."

"I- alright," Taka said shortly. Readjusting his backpack, he fell into step beside Mondo, and the two of them made their way down the hall.

"Can I have, like, a one paper ball per class limit?" Mondo asked, wanting to fill the silence taken up by their heavy footsteps.

"I don't negotiate with terrorists!"

That drew another laugh from Mondo, and Taka's face reddened further. "What are you laughing at?!"

"Oh, I thought you were making a joke. It was pretty funny. You're not really the joking type, though, are you?"

"I can joke!"

"Mmhmmm." Mondo gave an unconvinced hum.

"I can! In fact, sure! You can throw one paper ball per class!" Taka jabbed a finger at him. "See? I can joke around!"

"Whoa, loud mouth, watch yourself before you dive headfirst into your rebellious teenage phase!"

Their short banter ended as they reached their classroom, and Mondo was almost sorry it was over.

——

No more paper balls were flicked at Taka's neck.

——

"So, you got your Mondo problem solved?" Makoto asked.

"Huh?" Taka blinked, snapping out of his thoughts.

"It's been a week and you haven't mentioned him, so am I safe to say it's over?"

"Oh! Yes, he hasn't bothered me since." Taka cleared his throat and stared down at his food. "It makes me almost... uneasy!"

"Uneasy?" Kyoko, one of the newer additions to their growing friend group, asked. "How can being left alone make you uneasy...?" She tapped one gloved finger against her chin. "Surely your routine going back to normal would be a good thing."

"I know! It's just... I don't know! I suppose I got used to him being a part of my life," Taka frowned, trying to make sense of the puzzle in his brain. "That must be it. It's not that I miss the annoyance, it's just strange he's leaving me alone."

"I would be glad," Sayaka said. "At least he's not a bully! If he was, he'd still be messing with you."

"That's it! Maybe this is all part of an even bigger plot... to mess with me!" Taka practically shot out of his chair. Hina made a startled noise in response. "I've got it! My uneasiness is simply because he's plotting something, I know he is!"

"Taka, his life doesn't revolve around you..." Sayaka said blandly.

"I have to figure out what this plot is before it's too late," Taka muttered to himself. He looked over at Mondo's usual cafeteria table, but the biker wasn't there. "H-huh?! Where'd he go?"

"Taka, sit down," Makoto started. "He's not planning anything! He's just moved on from bothering you, and you should move on too."

 _Somehow, I can't_ , Taka found himself thinking, even though he logically knew Makoto and the rest of his friends were right. Slowly, he settled back into his seat and resumed picking at his food. Mondo would just never stop grating on his nerves, would he? Even during their truce. It was a curse, Taka was sure of it. A terrible curse.

——

"Loud mouth's gone back to staring at you," Leon said. "After a week of peace, has the battle resumed?"

Mondo scoffed, but risked a glance over at Taka's cafeteria table. Sure enough, despite the presence of his rather large friend group, the moral compass was staring at _him_. It had been four days like this, of Mondo carefully avoiding his gaze in order to also avoid another confrontation. "I didn't even do anything this time!"

"Then w-what's his problem?" Chihiro stammered out. "H-he seems awfully angry..."

"I dunno. Maybe he thinks I did something?" Mondo frowned and thought hard, but for the life of him he couldn't come to any conclusive case. He'd been careful not to disturb him during classes, and to avoid him in the halls. What could he possibly be doing wrong?

"You think he's gonna do something?" Leon asked.

"S-something?!" Chihiro exclaimed in a frightened tone.

"Nah, he's the ultimate moral compass, right?" Mondo shook his head, unaffected. "What's he gonna do, tell a teacher? I didn't do nothing, so he can't do nothing either."

That was wrong of him to think. As he stepped out into the hallway, he was immediately confronted by none other than loud mouth himself.

"Alright, game's up!" He sharply jabbed a finger into Mondo's chest. "Just what are you plotting?"

"I'm sorry?" Mondo blinked dumbly. For once, he really had no idea what was going on. "Am I supposed to be plotting something?"

"So you're not..." he muttered.

"Hey, don't be so trusting!" Mondo exclaimed. "I mean, I could be pretending!"

"Wait, are you?!"

"No! I'm just saying, you really accepted my answer super easy."

"Hmph. Well." Taka didn't elaborate.

"I should be asking you if you're plotting anything! Staring at my table and all that," Mondo folded his arms. "I've been doing everything to stay outta your way! So what am I doing now to bother you? Is it my existence?!"

"I- no," Taka frowned, and a look of confusion settled over his features. "I- I don't know."

"Huh?"

"I'm sorry to bother you." Taka swiftly bowed his head before backing up. "It won't happen again."

"Hey, loud mouth-"

He was already hurrying down the hallway.

——

A piece of paper hit the back of Taka's neck.

It was the first time it had happened in a while, so he was terribly startled. So startled he jolted up in his seat, then instantly felt his face redden. Embarrassing, this was embarrassing.

The weapon of choice lay on the ground beside his chair, and normally he would ignore it except it was different from Mondo's normal artillery. Instead of a ball, this was a slip of paper carefully folded into a square.

Acting quickly, he reached down and plucked it up before hunching over his desk. With swift fingers, he unfolded it, revealing the message written inside.

_Meet me at the baths after this class._

The words was short and direct, the handwriting messy but pointed. It must've come from Mondo, but Taka didn't dare look behind him to confirm that fact.

He reread it again and again for the rest of the class, trying to make up his mind. Would he obey the call and walk into a possible trap? As class ended and everyone began departing, he knew he had to. Mondo was already gone, one of the first to leave, and Taka knew where he'd be waiting.

Walking quickly, he soon reached the dorm building and stood in front of the entrance to the baths. Barely daring to think, he took a step inside.

Mondo was the only one inside, his arms folded and his gaze sharp. "Hey," he said.

"What is the meaning of this?" Taka forced a commanding tone, when in reality all he felt was confusion.

"I just thought we needed to settle something," Mondo replied, unbudging. "You clearly have a problem with me, so say it and let's resolve this like men."

"A- a problem?" Taka's head spun. His problem with Mondo... well, did he really have one? He wasn't bothering him anymore, he was staying out of his way, so there shouldn't be anything, right?

"Well? Speak now, or forever hold your peace," Mondo prompted in a bored tone. "Otherwise, we're all square, yeah? And I have better things to do."

"Do you really?" Taka dared to ask, because he couldn't think of anything better to say.

"No." It was a flat, honest answer. Taka didn't know what else he had expected.

"Well, I don't either," Taka said.

"Good for you."

"And I don't have any problems with you, either. Besides the fact that you're a careless delinquent," he sniffed.

"Hmm," a corner of Mondo's mouth slid upward in a grin. "What do you suggest we do, then?"

"Well, I haven't had a chance to try out the sauna yet," Taka said, and for some reason he felt quite brave for saying it.

"Huh, me neither. I hear those things can get pretty hot. The only reason they don't burn your skin off or whatever is because of some weird science shit our bodies do."

"Language," Taka said automatically.

Mondo's grin widened. "Let's go on, then, loud mouth."

——

"So you're done with this Mondo business now? For good?" Hina asked.

Taka's eyes weren't on her. "Yeah. Definitely."

——

Their first month at Hope's Peak came to a close, and their second one began. So much had happened in such a short time, and yet nothing did. Time was funny that way.

——

At some point, their strange truce turned into Mondo and his group sitting at Taka's cafeteria table.

They weren't the only ones sitting there. More new faces had joined, more classmates turned friends. The table was growing quite crowded, and lunch was always a mess of elbows and knees and laughter. Taka couldn't say he minded it. School always came first, of course, work before play, but the time he spent with his friends was a close second to academics.

Mondo hadn't changed one bit, but Taka didn't mind that either. Mondo didn't need to change, Taka's opinion of him did. The biker wasn't just a trashmouth delinquent, he was strong and loyal and cared deeply about his own friends. He was funny, and he was weird, too, in the way he'd occasionally flick a note at the back of Taka's neck that read something obscene. That was just a part of who Oowada Mondo was, though. Taka never knew what to make of him.

He didn't know what to make of their relationship, either. Taka would say they were friends, but it wasn't friends in the way he and Makoto were friends. It was friends in the way a bird and a worm were friends. As soon as the bird grew tired of the worm, it would eat it right up. Taka wondered if he was just a new source of entertainment for Mondo, and that led him to wonder when his fun would wear out.

It took another month for that strange status to change.

It happened like this: Taka was sick.

That meant nothing, of course. He still had classes to attend! His education wouldn't wait on some measly cold!

It was not a measly cold, in fact. It was the flu, and he only realized that when as class let out at the end of the day, he found himself unable to stand from his chair.

Every bone in his body felt weak and heavy, and his head was pounding and his throat ached and his nose was terribly clogged. Despite all that, he still forced himself up onto his feet. _Can't let a stupid cold stop me-_

He would have fallen onto the floor if Mondo hadn't caught him.

"Hey, man! You okay?" the biker asked, concern piercing through his tone.

Taka could only manage an unintelligent mumble. "M'not feeling t'well...."

"Did you come into class feeling sick? What the hell!" Mondo did his best to steady him. "You wanna go to the nurse's office?"

"M'fine," Taka managed out. "Just feel kinda... wanna lie down."

"I'll bring you to your dorm, then," Mondo said, dropping the nurse idea completely at his words. Taka found it somewhere in his sluggish brain to feel grateful.

They made it there without much incident, and Taka barely managed to hand over his room keys. Mondo accepted them and unlocked the dorm before escorting him inside.

"Maybe I can find Nyquill or something," he said. "Just lie down for now, yeah?"

Taka didn't argue, instead collapsed onto his bed without further thought. Through half lidded eyes he watched as Mondo studied the interior of his room. His gaze flitted from the stacks of books on the desk to the neat piles of homework, eventually coming to rest on the gay pride flag hanging on the wall.

"Huh," he said.

"Huh what?"

"I dunno. I pinned you for a hetero."

Taka laughed despite the way it made his head throb worse. Squeezing his eyes shut, he felt himself sink into the bed, the sound of his own uneven breathing keeping him anchored to the world. "Thank you for bringing me here."

"No prob."

"I think I'm going to sleep now."

"'Aight." As Mondo spoke those words, Taka suddenly felt a heavy weight beside him on the bed. His eyes fluttered open to see the biker stretched out next to him, hands folded behind his head.

"What're you staring at?" Mondo asked in a huff.

"I- well-"

"I'm just sticking around in case you start puking or some nasty shit. I dunno. Can you die from the flu?"

"I doubt it." Too tired to argue or talk any further, he allowed his eyes to close again. "I'm fine."

"Yeah, whatever, may as well make sure."

After that, the world turned into the strange haze of half sleep that came rotted with sickness. Taka didn't remember how long he lay there, tossing and turning, too hot and too cold at the same time. Maybe he did throw up at some point- he wasn't sure. "There you go, loud mouth," a familiar, almost gentle voice pierced through the shadows, "you're alright."

When the haze finally parted, Taka found Mondo was gone. In his place (had he really ever been there in the first place though?) was Makoto, seated on the edge of the bed.

"Hey, you're up!" his friend exclaimed. Taka winced at the sudden loud noise. "Can I get you something? Food? Water? Painkillers?"

An explanation, Taka thought, but was too weak to say.

——

After a week spent regaining his strength and overcoming the sickness, Taka finally returned to classes.

Mondo was in the same seat he was always in, and the sight of him made Taka's heart skip a beat. But Mondo only acknowledged him with a short thumbs up, and that was that. No sign of the Mondo who had walked him to his dorm and stayed with him to make sure he didn't choke on his own puke.

Taka was almost disappointed.

He found himself at the sauna after classes. The heat and quiet of it made it one of his favorite places to sit quietly and think. Wrapped in a towel, he settled himself down and stared ahead at the wall, already losing himself to thought. The steam seemed to burn away the remaining sickness in his body, and he let loose a long sigh.

"Hey, loud mouth," a voice interrupted, then Mondo was sitting down next to him. "What's good?"

"Oh, hello, Mondo." Taka hurriedly sat upright, rubbing his temples to clear the haze. "How are you?"

"Great as ever. You look a lot better."

"So that wasn't a hallucination?" Taka asked.

"Huh?" Mondo's face scrunched up in obvious confusion.

"You. Helping me to my dorm and everything."

"No, that was very much real," Mondo grinned. "I passed you off to Makoto when he came to check on you. Figured you'd feel more comfortable with a friend."

"Are we not friends?" Taka dares to ask.

"Uh, I dunno. Are we? We sit at the same table 'n stuff."

"That doesn't make us friends."

"Well- well, I don't want to be your friend either!" Mondo huffed, folding his arms.

It was Taka's turn to say "huh?"

"If you don't want to interact with me that badly, I'll just go." With that, the biker started up from his seat.

"Wait!" Taka exclaimed, reaching out, though toward what exactly he wasn't quite sure. "That's not what I meant!"

"Then what did you mean?"

"I just meant I don't know what we are! We've gone from enemies to this, and I don't know what to think of it!" It felt like a confession, a burden lifting from Taka's shoulders. Those were the words he'd been holding in for god knows how long.

With a heavy sighed, Mondo dropped back down beside him. "Gee, loud mouth, I dunno. Wait, we were enemies?"

"Yes!"

"Huh. If ya say so."

They lapsed back into silence. Taka had said what he'd wanted to say, and he didn't have any words left.

Finally, Mondo said, "So do you want to be friends?"

"I- I guess," Taka managed out.

"Cool." Mondo turned his head and grinned at him. "Looks like we're bros for life now, loud mouth!"

"Huh?!"

"I'm ride or die, baby," Mondo slung an arm around his neck, and Taka felt his face redden. He wondered if it was from the heat of the sauna or from something else.

Well, at least they were friends now, right?

——

Mondo hadn't meant to fall in love.

It just... happened. Overtime, over the weeks and months that passed, over shared smiles and laughs and notes flicked at the back of necks and homework done across a nearly made bed. Mondo loved Leon and he loved Chihiro, he loved everyone he chose to be friends with, so naturally he didn't think much of the love he felt for Taka. At least, until one day, when he glanced up from his homework to ask Taka a question only to find the moral compass deep in thought, staring down at his textbook, eyebrows furrowed and tongue stuck out slightly.

And it hit him all at once that he was massively, completely, and terribly in love with Ishimaru Kyotaka.

It wasn't a sudden realization, but a slow buildup of realization he hadn't quite considered until he realized how much he loved these little moments and how his favorite time was his time spent with Taka and how well he knew all of Taka's little quirks and nervous habits. Then Taka had looked up from the textbook with a small smile and that realization had been hammered in even further.

"You alright, Mondo?" he asked. "You look like you're very deep in thought. Is homework really that interesting?"

"I-" Mondo started, thrown back to reality. "I- nah, I just had a question."

How did he let this happen? How had he fallen for loud mouth of all people, the annoying moral compass with the most grating voice in the world?

He wondered what Daiya would think of him. Falling in love with a boy like this in a place like this.

Pointless. His feelings were pointless, Mondo thought the next day and the day after that. Taka was gay, he knew that, but that didn't mean he had a chance. Why would someone like Taka fall for someone like him? They were the opposite in every way, an unlikely pair of friends that would make an unlikelier pair of lovers. Still, though, Mondo couldn't help but daydream of a world where Taka would be proud to call him his boyfriend. Of Taka's sweet lips on his, his small hands trailing down his chest, his voice breathy.

Stupid. Pointless. Barely worth thinking about.

Mondo considered telling Leon, just to get the crushing weight off his chest, but he didn't know how his friend would react. He'd probably call him "soft" and tease him relentlessly about it until the day they died,

This was his secret, then. His little secret to harbor and nurture, his hope and his despair.

——

"Makoto has two hands," Makoto said. "I can hold Kyoko's _and_ Byakuya's."

"Why are you referring to yourself in third person?" Sayaka furrowed her eyebrows.

"Tch. Don't question it." Byakuya Togami, one of the recent additions to their crowded table over the last few months, said in an airy tone.

Taka wasn't sure when Makoto had ended up with two partners, but to be fair, he hadn't been spending much time with his friend. Most of his spare time was spent with Mondo or doing homework, and sometimes doing homework with Mondo. He wished he could do Mondo with homework.

_Not now, gay thoughts!_

Kyoko nodded seriously. "Makoto does what he does."

"Makoto does me," Byakuya added.

Makoto's face reddened. "Let's not discuss my sex life!"

"Makoto's probably a virgin," Hina said, tapping her chin in thought.

"HEY!" Makoto exclaimed. Kyoko let loose a loud snicker, while Byakuya turned his face away to hide his smirk.

"I'm pretty sure we're all virgins," Mondo said, popping a potato chip into his mouth. "I mean, we're all high schoolers."

"High schoolers are all filthy animals!" Hina exclaimed with a little too much cheer. "Wait, HA! Mondo's a virgin!"

"So are you," Mondo fired back.

"Who said I was?" Hina cast an innocent but pointed glance toward Sakura.

Makoto choked on his sandwich.

"Why are we even talking about such disgusting things during a school day?!" Taka sharply exclaimed, diving in to restore order to the spiraling conversation.

"Yeah, I agree with loud mouth," Mondo said. "Enough of this shit. I'm starving."

"I'm starving too," Makoto agreed.

"Then eat my whole ass," Kyoko replied with a completely straight face.

"Kyoko Kirigiri!" Taka shrieked. "Since when did you become so foul mouthed?!"

Hina doubled over in laughter while Byakuya looked horrified. Makoto gave Hina a sharp jab with his elbow, face red, while Sayaka covered her mouth with her hand to hide a laugh. Despite the terrible and dirty conversation, Taka couldn't help but feel a smile grow on his own face. He loved his friends, despite only knowing them for five months. He loved moments like these were they were able to talk and laugh and jest.

And more than he'd like to admit, he loved meeting Mondo's eyes across the table and watching as the biker gave him a special grin meant only for him.

He wished this paradise would never end.

——

Mondo didn't think there was ever a point where he and Taka officially started dating.

They simply slipped into a relationship like it was second nature. And in many ways, it was; they were already so close, so attuned to each other's every movement, that this simply felt like the next rung on the ladder.

At some point, casual hugs and touches became forehead kisses and hand holding. None of them ever mentioned it, they never commented on it, and they never really discussed it. Their lives were already so intertwined that there was no need to.

Despite the sheer normalcy of it, though, Mondo would still never forget the first time he kissed Ishimaru Kiyotaka. They were sitting in the sauna, which had become one of their favorite places to relax and unwind. Taka said his head felt clearer in it, that it helped him think. Mondo just enjoyed the peace and quiet of it all, and the company of his friend.

Taka was looking at him, eyebrows drawn together and furrowed. It was his 'lost in thought' expression that Mondo was so used to. He knew every expression Taka made by now.

"What's on your mind, loud mouth?" he questioned.

"I think," Taka said curiously, "I want to kiss you."

"Oh," was all Mondo could reply with. After all, it wasn't like they'd ever discussed anything like this before. He'd just sort of assumed they were in a relationship, and had assumed kissing would come as naturally as everything else did. "Well, don't let me stop you," he finally said smartly.

Taka smiled, then leaned over and pressed a kiss against his lips. It was short, sweet, and simple, but somehow it was every dream in the universe and every hope in the world. Mondo had never felt anything quite like what he felt in that moment; a budding sense of _something_ , so powerful it overcame every part of him.

When Taka pulled away, he was still smiling. "I think I'm in love with you," he said. It was the first time they'd said anything like that too. This felt natural, though. Another step forward on their inevitable path.

"Ha, gay," Mondo replied like an idiot, because that sense of something was still there and it was overcoming any sense of function he felt.

"And there's the Mondo I know and love," Taka said with a groan, and Mondo's heart skipped a beat at the word _love_ again. He was quick to recapture his lips, and that was it. The end of everything and the start of everything.

——

Paradise looked a lot like this:

It was Hope's Peak Academy, the symbol of hope and the future.

It was classes attended and notes flicked at the back of necks during them. It was students listening or pretending to listen or falling asleep.

It was the cafeteria at lunch time, loud and noisy. It was the table packed full of students from class 78's growing friend group. It was the laughter and jokes that flew across the table as easily as playful insults and taunts did.

It was the sauna, empty and quiet, and the two boys who found shelter there.

It was the dormitories and the students inside them, pouring over textbooks or taking a well deserved nap. It was the sleepovers and nights spent sharing a bed with a lover or a friend.

It was friendships forged by smiles and giggles. Friendships that seemed like they would last forever, no matter what the world threw at them.

It was Oowada Mondo waiting for Ishimaru Kiyotaka in the hallway after class to pull him into a kiss and tell him he loves him.

Paradise seemed like it would last forever.

——

Their first year came and went. It ended with tearful goodbyes and promises to keep in touch and long, passionate kisses.

"I'll see you soon?" Taka asked, cupping Mondo's face with his small hands. "You'll text me every day, right?"

Mondo released a chuckle, melting into his touch despite himself. "Of course, loud mouth. I wouldn't miss you for the world."

——

Taka wished school would start again. The paradise of Hope's Peak seemed so far away now that he was trapped in his own room at his own house. He missed Mondo's hand in his. He missed curling up in Mondo's bed after a long study session. He even missed his friends telling dirty jokes over the cafeteria table.

Most of all, he just missed Mondo.

——

Mondo couldn't believe he was excited when summer ended and their second year began.

He really had gone soft, hadn't he? He _liked_ school. That was so stupid and absurd, but he did.

Really, though, he liked his friends. Leon, Chihiro, Makoto, the rest of class 78. Really, though, he liked Taka.

He entered the cafeteria, where the headmaster's get to know you games were in full swing. There, seated at one of the tables, was a familiar shock of raven hair.

Red eyes met his, and then the moral compass was running toward him, practically crashing into his arms. "Mondo!" he exclaimed, pulling back to study him. "I- I-"

"I missed you too, loud mouth," Mondo said with a wide grin. "Let's find everyone else and catch up, yeah?"

"Yes," Taka agreed with a grin of his own, then led him across the cafeteria where the rest of the group was waiting.

——

Everything was normal. Everything was right. Paradise was back, and Taka couldn't get enough of it.

Wrong. He was so wrong.

Everything came crashing down all at once around them as the tragedy struck. Suddenly, the school's bright halls were full of blood and the stench of death. The laughter from the cafeteria grew silent. The world reeked of destruction and despair, and Taka had never been through a more cruel reality awakening in his life.

Byakuya's snide remarks ceased. He was often found holding onto Makoto's hand, gaze hard and unreadable. Kyoko's light attitude vanished all at once. Hina's appetite disappeared, and Sakura was more tense than she'd ever been in her life. Leon's dirty jokes were nonexistent, and Sayaka's giggle never graced their ears again. Chihiro's eyes were often caught with tears in them. The rest of the class were all affected just as much, transformed into shells of themselves. It hurt Taka to see his friends in despair like that.

And for the first time in forever, Taka couldn't tell what Mondo was thinking. How he was feeling. If he was scared, or angry, or depressed. Mondo's reaction to paradise being ripped away was to simply be quiet. Be alert. To never take his eyes off his friends, and definitely never off Taka.

The remains of the school faculty were coming up with a plan, but Taka didn't know anything about it. Didn't want to know, truth be told. He just wanted to hold onto what pieces of paradise he had left and never let them go.

——

The world was shit, and Mondo had never been so pissed (and terrified) in his life.

——

"They want us to stay here forever," Taka whispered, his head resting in Mondo's lap.

Mondo gently stroked his fingers through his boyfriend's hair. "I know."

"And? What do you think?" Taka stared up at him with his wide, red eyes.

Staring back down at the love of his life, Mondo found himself at a loss for words. "The world's gone to shit out there. This is for our own safety, right?"

"Right," Taka echoed quietly. "But-"

"But?"

"I don't know." Taka's eyes fluttered closed. "I... I could be happy here. With you."

Mondo's heart swelled, and his hand stalled. "Taka..."

"Stay with me?" Taka whispered. "Here?"

Leaning down, Mondo pressed a gentle kiss to his forehead. "I will," he said, and he'd never been more certain of anything in his life. "I'll stay."

Taka's eyes opened then, and he reached up to take hold of Mondo's shirt collar and pull him down again into a kiss. His lips crashed against his, and Mondo knew he'd made the right decision.

They'd be safe here. Taka would be safe here. They would be together, and they'd have all the time in the world.

For the first time since the tragedy, a flutter of hope caught in his heart.

——

The fortifying of the school began. Their classmates worked hard, and they did as well. Soon, Hope's Peak had been transformed into a shelter, protected from the terrible world outside.

——

"I love you," Taka murmured, curled up against his side.

Mondo let out a breathy chuckle. "I know."

"I'll always love you," Taka continued, his voice wavering slightly. "No matter what."

"Darling, what's the matter?" Mondo frowned, turning over to face his boyfriend.

"I- I don't know." Taka's eyes were full of something Mondo couldn't place. He wished he could take away whatever pain his lover was feeling right now. "I just... I've been thinking about the world outside. If we're really safe here."

"Of course we are," Mondo hurried to reassure him, reaching out to cup his face. "Nothing will hurt us here. Nothing will hurt you. I promise, and you know how much promises mean to me, don't you? I swear I won't let anything hurt you."

Taka melted into his touch. "I love you," he said again.

"I love you too. Nothing will hurt us here."

——

Mondo woke up inside a classroom.

Weird. He must've passed out. Which is stupid, because he never passed out. Oh well, didn't matter now. As long as no one had seen him, his pride was still intact.

Oh yeah, he had to get to that stupid orientation thing.

It was easy to find the large room he was meant to be in. Something was strange, though; the massive vault door sealing the exit, for one, and the security cameras watching them. Them being him and the strange crowd of students assembled there.

"Number fourteen!" A sharp, grating voice rang out. Mondo winced and clutched his ears. A short young man in a crisp white uniform was pointing at him, his red eyes alert. "That makes only one missing!"

"No need to shout, loud mouth," Mondo huffed, folding his arms. "I can hear you just fine."

"My name is not loud mouth! It is Ishimaru Kiyotaka, but you may call me Taka," that loud voice barked. "I am the ultimate moral compass! And who are you?"

"Mondo, but you can call me Mondo. Now shut up before I get a migraine."

If this was one of his classmates, Mondo was going to regret accepting the invitation to Hope's Peak.

——

Taka absolutely could not stand the ultimate biker, and he figured the feeling was mutual. The investigation, first class trial, and even free time were full of their endless bickering. Despite the terrible killing game going on, Taka couldn't help but wish there was some teacher he could tell or some detention he could send Mondo to. Monokuma's punishments were too harsh to try complaining to him.

Tensions finally swelled to the point where an endurance contest was suggested. The deal was set: first one to leave the sauna was the obviously inferior one. Makoto would be their witness. Everything was set to go.

Taka couldn't wait to show the delinquent just how tough he was.

"You talk a big game, loud mouth," Mondo egged him as they settled down into the sauna. "Let's see if you're got any bite to your bark."

——

Hours passed. Night fell. Makoto retreated back to his room, and Mondo wished he could do the same. The heat was sweltering and unbearable, and he was beginning to lose his grip.

"Do you think we're going to get murdered?" Taka asked through gritted teeth, breaking the strained silence.

"No."

"Why not? We're all alone here. No witnesses. It could be quick and easy."

"No, we're not gonna get- murdered," he forced out, another wave of heat shuddering over him. "I ain't gonna let us die here."

"Maybe not here," Taka responded quietly. "But at some point... we're all going to die, aren't we?"

"Well- with that attitude, we sure will!" Mondo hoped he sounded confident enough. He was supposed to be the tough guy. He shouldn't be scared of anything. And yet this killing game had a way of getting under his skin, burrowing into his heart and planting the seeds of terror. It was a living nightmare, and it was one he was trapped in.

"I don't want to die," Taka said, and the statement seemed so obvious and ridiculous and _vulnerable_ at the same time that it made Mondo stop thinking about everything but those words. _I don't want to die._

"I don't either," he replied after a few long moments, and it felt like a confession somehow.

They stared at each other, the competition and hard feelings melting away under the heat of the sauna and the heat of something more. The heat of despair. Of fear. Of whatever you wanted to call it. For one moment, their hard layers were burned away to reveal two terrified, vulnerable boys, and they were one and the same.

And that was when Mondo realized he didn't hate loud mouth, and he didn't want loud mouth to hate him.

"This is stupid," he said. "All of this. Let's go."

"Go where?" Taka asked with a frown.

"Anywhere. Anywhere but here." Without waiting for him, Mondo stood and started for the door.

Taka hurried after him, pausing only to change back into his clothes, before they headed back out into the hall.

Mondo's feet were moving automatically. He didn't know where he was going, only that he needed to go somewhere. He ended up at the pool, wide and open and silent save for the water lapping at the sides.

He pulled off his shoes and sat down, sliding his feet in. He let his legs dangle in the water, free and unbound to the world. If he closed his eyes, he could pretend he was at a beach, the brilliant night sky above him so full of freedom and hope.

He didn't realize he was crying until the first tear hit his mouth and he tasted salt.

Opening his eyes, hurriedly preparing an excuse for his stupid tears, he found Taka sitting beside him, legs hugged against his chest. He didn't say anything, only sat in silence.

For some reason, Mondo felt safe then. Safe enough to let himself cry, safe enough to let the terror and despair of the past few days flow through his body. He cried and cried until he had no more tears left, and still Taka never said anything, just gave him space.

"I miss my gang," he whispered when he felt like his words wouldn't be washed away by the waterworks. "I miss my brother."

"I miss homework," Taka said.

Mondo let out a watery laugh. "Seriously?"

"I do," Taka said earnestly. "I miss school. Real school, not this terrible place."

"I miss my motorbike."

"I miss my bed."

"I miss the sky."

"I miss the sun."

They went on and on like that until they ran out of things to say. There were too many things to miss, but somehow there weren't enough.

By the end of it, Taka was looking at him, eyebrows drawn together and furrowed. He looked deep in thought, though Mondo wasn't sure how he knew that.

"What's on your mind, loud mouth?" he questioned, absently kicking his feet back and forth in the water.

"I think," Taka said curiously, "I want to kiss you."

"Oh," Mondo stammered, eyes going wide.

"Forgive me if I was too forward!" Taka quickly exclaimed, scooting a bit back. "I- I apologize! Now is not the time for silly things like-"

"I mean, don't let me stop you," Mondo cut him off.

"H-huh?" Taka blinked at him.

Was it possible to fall in love with someone in the span of a night? Mondo wasn't sure. Looking at Taka now, he was inclined to say yes. Or maybe it hadn't been just the night. Maybe he'd been in love with him the whole time. Somehow, he felt like that was the case. That he'd been in love with Ishimaru Kiyotaka longer than he could remember.

"Do I know you?" he asked abruptly. "Did we meet in a past life or something?"

"Maybe," Taka replied, red eyes earnest and lovely. "I feel like that would have to be the case."

Mondo chuckled, and suddenly his heart was hammering in his chest. This was a new kind of fear; not one caused by the thought of murder and violence, but one caused by the thought of the future. And of the past, too, he supposed. Of whatever life they'd met in before this.

Taka smiled, then leaned over and pressed a kiss against his lips. It was short, sweet, and simple, but somehow it was every dream in the universe and every hope in the world. Mondo had never felt anything quite like what he felt in that moment; a budding sense of _something_ , so powerful it overcame every part of him.

No, that wasn't right. He'd certainly felt something like that before, though he couldn't recall when for some reason. He just knew he had, and he was absolutely certain of that.

When Taka pulled away, he was still smiling. "I think I could fall in love with you," he said.

"I think I could too," Mondo replied. "I think I already have."

"In that other life?" Taka asked with a chuckle.

"In this one," said Mondo. "I'm sure of it."

He kissed him again, and he kept kissing him until they were both so tired they feared they'd pass out and break Monokuma's stupid rules. They spent the night together in Mondo's room, the ghosts and whispers of memories intertwining them into one quiet soul.

"What comes next?" Taka wondered.

"It doesn't matter," Mondo replied, and he meant it.

——

Their time together was short and fleeting. If Taka had known it would be, he would have cherished it more.

But this wasn't paradise. This was hell, and there were no happy endings in hell.

——

There was so much blood everywhere. The body lay before him, helpless and terribly suspended in death.

"Shit," Mondo whispered.

What had he done?

——

"I hope we meet in our next life," Mondo said, his voice strangely serious and quiet.

"Why think about that when we've got our life here and now?" Taka asked with a small grin. "We're still alive, aren't we?"

"Just promise me you'll find me there, yeah?" Mondo requested, his voice trembling ever so slightly. "Maybe we'll have more time then."

"I promise," Taka said, though he was still unsure why this conversation was even taking place. "If I found you in this life, I can easily find you in the next, right?"

"Yeah," he replied. "Yeah, you will."

——

Everything was spiraling out of control, and Taka couldn't get a grip on reality.

"And the blackened is.... Oowada Mondo!" Monokuma exclaimed in his cheerful, delighted voice.

Mondo met Taka's eyes across the courtroom. Taka felt like he couldn't breathe. The world was spinning and tilting all around him, and he couldn't breathe.

_"Find me there."_

"Mondo," he whispered, voice breaking.

"I'm sorry," Mondo replied. "I'm sorry, loud mouth. I really fucked up, didn't I?"

"Mondo," he said again, and instincts took over. He reached out for him, heart slamming in his chest. "Mondo, why-?!"

They weren't supposed to die. They'd only just found each other again- (again, again, why was it again-?), this wasn't supposed to happen. And now-

Murderer.

Blackened.

 _Mondo_.

"No!" he screamed, even as the post trial events continued all around him. "No- no!"

Mondo was staring at him, unmoving. There was something hidden within those eyes of his, something that neither of them remembered but both of them felt, and it drove Taka closer off the edge and into a spiraling frenzy.

And then-

"Punishment time!"

_"NO!"_

And Mondo was dying.

——

Mondo was dying.

And as the world spun faster and fast around him, his skin melting away and his body throttling and everything a blur of pain and terror, he remembered.

He remembered a sauna. He remembered a cafeteria table. He remembered a dorm room. He remembered the annoying student seated at the desk in front of him. He remembered flicking paper balls and he remembered tossing notes. He remembered a love too strong for simple words. He remembered a wide smile. He remembered the sweet feeling of his lips on his.

He remembered Ishimaru Kiyotaka.

Suddenly, everything was right with the world, and he wished he could tell him that.

Just as suddenly, everything was over.

——

How can you mourn someone you've barely known, yet felt like you've known forever?

Taka didn't know. It was the one question he couldn't answer, so he didn't try to answer it.

Instead, he let himself feel everything as it came washing over him, and he let himself go and he snapped.

——

It was a small comfort that he didn't live long after that. When the note asking him to meet appeared, he knew it was suspicious. He knew it was deadly. He knew he shouldn't listen to it.

Which was exactly why he did.

What did he have left to lose? What did he have left to feel? This killing game had taken the best from him and the worst out of him.

It was a relatively quick death; a blow to the head from a hammer. But just for a moment, as he lay spiraling between life and death, he remembered everything.

And he knew.

 _The next life,_ he thought. _I promise._

Paradise was too far gone, but just for a moment, he felt it rush over him, and he knew he wasn't afraid to die anymore.


End file.
